Olive Cobin Zang has never really fit in anywhere. She doesn’t have any friends. Even her parents never spend much time with her. But then she’s sent off to something called a “reforming arts school.” And there she finds the group of crime-solving misfits she was born to be a part of.
Somebody’s been stealing valuable gems. And the police are all flummoxed. They’re not close to catching him (or her, I suppose); The best they’ve been able to do is give this smooth-and-slippery thief a moniker that the talking heads can use during every hourly news cast.
They call him the Bling King.
Frankly, though, Olive Cobin Zang really couldn’t care less about a jewelry-stealing baddy. She’s more concerned about who stole her InstaFriends social media account.
That’s right; last night it was right there on her phone. This morning it had vanished entirely.
Then when she goes to her locker at school to grab her books, they’re gone, too!
It’s like all trace of her is disappearing from existence.
OK, that’s not exactly unheard of for Olive. She’s pretty used to being ignored, overlooked and feeling rather invisible. She’s probably the most invisible middle schooler you’ve ever not seen. Even her parents are rarely around long enough to notice her.
But these instances feel like a little too much.
However, then when her well-pressed and always-in-a-hurry mom shows up to check her out of school, things start to make more sense (at least a little). Turns out, her parents are shipping her off to a highly acclaimed “Reforming Arts School.” Yep, Mom and Dad are going to yet another important business thingamajig and Olive needs to go somewhere.
So, boarding school in other words.
What boarding school has to do with her missing social media account Olive never really finds out. Because before she can say, Uh, Mom, she’s deposited at the school and Mom has flown the coop.
If her mother had been a precious bauble, Olive might have suspected that the smooth disappearance was the Bling King’s doing. But Olive knows better. It’s just her mother’s way: Do what needs doing and get on with the next job. Sigh.
What Olive doesn’t realize, however, is that her new school is someplace altogether different from any school she’s ever been to before. The teachers don’t just teach English and math here. They teach, well, skills. Special skills. And it turns out that Olive has more skills of that sort than she realizes.
Oh, and the other kids she’ll be working with have some very exceptional natural abilities as well. And they’re like Olive in another way: Her entire class is a bunch of misfitting, rather invisible kids. They’re all young, nerdy nobodies who’ll be overlooked—special skills and all—in a crowd.
That’s all according to a very specific, very special plan.
I can’t tell you more, ‘cause well, it’s kinda … secret. But I will say that this secluded arts school isn’t what it appears to be. And Olive and her group of fellow misfits will be doing some completely crazy, unexpected and (shhh) invisible things.
Let’s just say, even the Bling King might not see these misfits coming.
None.
It’s implied that Olive’s friend Philomena is Muslim, since she always wears a head covering. But they never discuss her faith.
The school leadership has the belief that younger kids will be apt to take bigger chances without worry of negative outcomes. And those same kids will be far less noticeable because of their age. (In fact, one of the lessons the kids are taught is to stick a finger in their nose if anyone looks at them too closely. It will make them look younger and … no one wants to look at a person with their finger in their nose.)
Initially it appears that Olive’s parents are rather uncaring. In fact, Olive notes in her journal that “Dad is so boring when he’s home,” and “Mom loves work more than me.” And she also states, “Sometimes I wish I had different parents.”
But with time, Olive comes to see that there is an important reason that her parents have been gone a lot. And when they understand how she feels, they both apologize for their distance and promise to work at being the parents she hoped they would be.
On that note, Olive also comes to realize that her parents purposely enrolled her in the arts school to help her connect with her own gifts. And she declares that she definitely wants to stay there and keep working with her new friends, “if that’s okay with you.”
We learn that Olive also has a wonderful relationship with her grandmother Mimi, who often looked after her while Mom and Dad were away. Mimi instilled many bits of loving, parental wisdom in the young girl that she brings to mind in stressful times.
Olive finds a sweet letter that she thinks is from her mom. It speaks of the woman’s love and pride. But Olive then realizes that the letter was actually from grandmother to Olive’s mom.
Olive grows close with a group of new “misfit” friends—James, Philomena, Theo and Iggy—who are all a bit awkward at first. But they grow to appreciate each other’s strengths and grow closer and closer as they sacrifice for one another.
Monica and Modest are a husband-and-wife teacher team who work with the kids. They use their immense skills at acrobatics and fighting to train the kids, they look out for them and eventually introduce them to NOCK—a crime fighting, “No One Can Know” group.
There’s no foul language, but we’re introduced to a woman who we’re told is “wealthy up the wazoo,” and something is called “poopy.”
Because she almost drowned as a young girl, Olive has a deathly fear of water and can’t swim. At one point she accidentally falls into the churning waters of the San Francisco Bay. Her friends rescue her. Olive also chases a criminal and finds herself hanging from the skid bar of a helicopter that soars into the air. But again, both her grandmother’s wise training and her friends brave efforts help Olive save the day and return to the ground safely.
A torpedo is launched toward a large boat full of innocents. The Misfit kids divert the torpedo to explode out in open water.
Dogs are set loose in a room full of cats, which causes a chaotic event that spills out into an airport. Dangerous thieves threaten the kids, as do a small group of high school bullies. In both cases the Misfits use their acquired defense skills to avoid harm. (The bad guys and bullies get thumped around, though.)
None.
Have you ever wondered if you could somehow become a spy or learn to fight crime? What kinds of natural skills do you have that might be applied to that kind of job? Have you thought about the fact that we all have certain strengths and natural skills that others may overlook?
James 1:17 talks about the perfect gifts that God gives us. What do you think those gifts and skills look like? How can we get stronger and serve others with those skills? Can they help us connect with new friends?
Have you ever seen a crime taking place? What would you do if you did? We may not have abilities like Olive and her friends, but we can make a difference at home and at school. How can you?
The Misfits is a lightweight comedic mystery that encourages young readers to cultivate friendships and find unexpected things they may have in common with others.
You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected].
Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not necessarily their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
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